Tommy Armour Isn’t What You Think

This is how it typically goes with so-called House Brands – a large retailer pays $X for a familiar name, thinking it can make $X + a decent profit before letting it go the way of 8-track and fidget spinners. It’s not the worst business model, but often it amounts to little more than a prolonged liquidation. As long as the retailer makes can turn a decent short-term profit, it’s a win. That said, house brands rarely have a future; they’re the equivalent of scrap metal.

This is where Tommy Armour’s story diverges from expectation. The resurgent Tommy Armour is the private label house brand of Dick’s Sporting Goods, and it’s anything but walking the plank toward the inevitable. The guts of operation suggest a far different reality – one which is positioned to honor the history and heritage of the Tommy Armour name while pushing back on the new reality of $500+ drivers by offering cutting-edge technology and a value-centric marketing message.

INSIDE

Stripping away names and logos, equipment design boils down to materials and construction. The rest is more or less window dressing. Looking at the 2019 Atomic line – and more specifically at the metalwoods – we get an objective glimpse at why Tommy Armour should be held in the same regard as domestic brands like Tour Edge, and JDM stalwarts PRGR, OnOff, Yamaha, XXIO, and Ryoma.

The common thread binding these companies together is Performax, a decades-old club manufacturing factory and the only golf R&D facility in the world to use a brazing process (Tour Edge uses the term combo-brazing). This process is costly but has significant advantages in club production. It also simplifies the conversation because there’s a single known supplier. If the equipment is brazed, it came straight outta Performax.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s pause to answer the obvious question: What is brazing?

When adhering different parts of a club together (think titanium cup face to stainless steel body), there are effectively two options – welding or brazing. Welding melts and fuses two base metals by applying concentrated heat at the joint. It’s cheap, heavier and requires finishing to remove excess material. Brazing, on the other hand, uses a lower-temperature filler metal to bond the two base metals. Brazing is quite a bit more expensive, but it saves valuable weight and doesn’t require grinding, which creates greater consistency from part to part.

For this reason, brazing is more common in top-tier JDM products where higher production costs, which translate to upper-end retail costs, are expected, if not welcome. Performax uses a proprietary bonding agent that was developed in conjunction with a leading aerospace company. The 99% silver agent is used to join dissimilar metals (titanium to steel or tungsten to titanium), whereas a 99% pure nickel agent is used to braze steel to steel or titanium to titanium.

Performax leverages its brazing process for popular JDM brands Ryoma, PRGR, OnOff, and Yamaha among others. Current generation model fairway woods from these companies typically start north of $600/club. Exotics by Tour Edge, which also partners with Performax, runs $299 at retail for the 2019 CBX 119.

But can a $250 fairway wood from Tommy Armour sit at the same table as these more expensive and established brands?

According to Performax owner Jackson Chuang, “100% yes.” If you want to know how good the meat is, always ask the butcher.

In fact, there’s an argument to be made that the Tommy Armour Atomic fairway wood not only has more value at its given price point ($250) but is ostensibly a better club. Chuang notes many of the Japanese brands are more prescriptive and partner with Performax because of its production capabilities (brazing) more so than its R&D expertise. As such, Performax has little input on the overall design, which means at times maxing out performance becomes secondary to achieving the particular look that Japanese companies mandate.

Dick’s took a different approach – one which gave Chuang and his team immense freedom. In this case, the only design parameter given to Performax was to ensure the final design could go mano a mano with any fairway metal on the market.

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

The first step for Chuang was to select higher-grade DAT55 titanium for the face. Because material costs are less of a factor (we’ll discuss why in a moment), Atomic fairways utilize a classification of titanium a notch above the commonly used 6-4 or 15-3-3-3.

Titanium is lighter, stronger and more flexible than steel, but because it’s more expensive, many OEMs opt to only use it in driver construction, where the larger geometry of the clubface, makes titanium essential for pushing CT limits.

Approaching design limits isn’t without some risk, and Chuang notes most brands stress-test prototypes up to 2,000 shots, however; the Atomic fairway wood survived a 4,000-shot durability test before its launch.

When R&D can save weight (lighter, stronger materials, brazing) engineers are liberated to explore different materials, structures, and ultimately challenge conventional CG locations – a fact not lost on Tour Edge. To win the fairway distance battle, Tour Edge knew if it could reduce spin by placing the center of gravity where other OEMs couldn’t, it would have a substantial performance advantage. This was a major driving force behind the construction of the CBX, CBX T3 and CBX 119 which was fundamental to Tour Edge establishing a presence on PGA Tour Champions.

If the materials, processes, and designs work for several scrutinizing OEMs (and have for decades) there’s no reason the same shouldn’t be true for Tommy Armour’s Atomic.

MAKING A MOVE

In 2006, Dick’s purchased Golf Galaxy for $225 million and scooped up the assets of Golfsmith and Sports Authority at auction in 2016 for just under 100 million combined. Now Dick’s employs over 30,000 in its 700 stores across the United States. In comparison, WorldWide Golf Shops (parent company of Edwin Watts and Roger Dunn) has 80 stores in 20 states. PGA Superstore operates roughly half that number with 41 stores in the U.S.

With roughly 8.5 Billion in annual revenue, Dick’s Sporting Goods is the largest sporting goods retailer in North America. I’d wager we can file that last bit under “Stuff you already knew.” As such, Dick’s has certain advantages, namely scale, and volume – which allow it to do pretty much whatever it wants with the Tommy Armour line of golf equipment.

Part of the context is the trend of increasing equipment prices across the board, coupled with a newfound willingness on the part of the consumer to place performance ahead of marketing. Nowhere has this shift been more apparent than in the ball market where Dean Snell is the perfect case study. Very simply, Snell spent decades acquiring the experience, knowledge and distribution channels necessary to make good on his promise to start a ball company which would provide consumers a tour-level ball at a fraction of the price. In doing so, he exposed a gap in the market.

Should Dick’s ultimately find success, it will be because it can satisfy similar requirements, though the execution will have to be a bit different.

In terms of R&D, Dick’s went top-shelf in working with Performax. It’s difficult to overstate how important this relationship is because, among other ancillary benefits, it gives Dick’s and the Atomic line a clear talking point to establish instant credibility in a market where it can otherwise take years to be taken seriously.

So, while the Atomic fairway costs as much (and likely more) to produce than most of the competitive set, the rack rate is 15%-20% below the $300 most major OEMs have established as the going rate for current models. It should also be noted that, apart from TaylorMade’s M5 (priced at $400), those same OEMs opt to use high-performance steel rather than titanium. Titanium is lighter and stronger than steel, which is why Dick’s is committed to using it in all Atomic metalwoods and both sets of Atomic irons.

The lower prices (Atomic driver retails at $399) are a welcome respite for golfers who aren’t inclined to drop $549 for TaylorMade’s M5/M6 or $529 for Callaway’s Epic Flash; however, historically value priced equipment has often been commensurate with lesser technology. Because of Dick’s unique situation, Tommy Armour doesn’t have to build-in costs to cover expensive tour sponsorships (and associated marketing costs). It can price equipment well below its competitors and still make the necessary margin. According to several industry insiders, 8%-10% of MSRP (so roughly $50 on a $500+ driver) isn’t out of the norm to allocate as a kickback to help fill the marketing/advertising coffers. Additionally, because Tommy Armour is an internal brand (the term house brand doesn’t really apply) Dick’s is effectively its own wholesaler. There isn’t another mouth at the profit trough that needs to be fed.

Dick’s is a big box retailer, and as such, caters to the widest swath of golfers. Its ubiquitous presence (average of 14 stores per state) means it has more reach than any other golf retailer. As a result, Dick’s has a significant leg up on competitors in the retail game, where exposure and volume are valuable commodities.

On paper, there isn’t a red flag or worrisome void in the approach Dick’s is taking with Tommy Armour, but success is anything but guaranteed.

MOVING ON

To bolster its chances, Dick’s has tasked David Michaels, a Senior Product Manager for Dick’s, with developing and growing the Tommy Armour brand. He provided MyGolfSpy with some insight as to what the future might hold. The salient point in that is that Dick’s is putting a robust amount of horsepower behind the Tommy Armour brand now and for the foreseeable future. It also suggests Dick’s has a larger vision for Tommy Armour which, if achieved, will put it in the same performance class as the biggest OEMs in the game.

To revitalize the brand, Michaels will need to play to its history while including enough modern technology to compete on more than just price with the mainline brands. Tommy Armour is best-known for its 845 Silver Scot irons which sold roughly 600,000 units in the 1980s and 1990s, and alongside Ping’s Eye irons, dominated the iron market. Like A-ha (Take on Me), however; the 845s were Tommy Armour’s one and only big hit.

Today, there’s talk of a re-release of the 845s. The nostalgia play has worked for others in the industry lately and could do the same for the Tommy Armour brand, particularly if Dick’s opts to go with a single-piece forged design that plays to a more discerning golfer. It could make for the kind of quick win the brand needs to gain some buzz.

To become and remain viable, Dick’s must find a way to get a hook in the most demographically average golfer who isn’t inclined to pay top price for new technology. This collective group carries a mid-high handicap but isn’t necessarily brand loyal – and least not to the degree that it alone dictates equipment choice. Value (cost vs. performance) is what often drives purchasing decisions for this segment of golfers, and this is precisely where Tommy Armour has a competitive advantage.

To this end, Chuang says a brazed driver isn’t out of the question. The weight savings created by the technology could open doors for geometry and mass properties benefits. Moreover, if Dick’s can tell a compelling story while keeping the price $100-$150 below bellwether offerings from the Big 5, it might establish a virtual mini-monopoly at its price point.

Because of what Chuang sees day to day, he isn’t particularly enamored with or influenced by brand names. He understands that what matters is the critical interplay between materials and design. Prices are set by OEMs and to a degree can mislead. When the patina of logos and labels are removed, what’s left is a raw product designed by engineers.

Tommy Armour may have a long way to go before the general golfing population holds it in the same regard as the Titleists and Callaways of the industry, but on paper, it might not be as far off as one might think.

Chris Nickel

Chris is a self-diagnosed equipment and golf junkie, and he's proud of it. When he's not coaching the local high school and middle school golf teams, he's probably on the range or trying to keep up with his wife and seven beautiful daughters.
Chris is based out of Fort Collins, CO and his neighbors believe long brown boxes are simply part of his porch decor.
"Isn't it funny? The truth just sounds different."

60 Comments

Brandon

10 months ago

I’m very late seeing this article, but this is an explanation from someone who works in golf at a Dick’s location. Your golf-related customer service experience entirely depends on which location you go to. There are 3 tiers of golf sections at Dick’s, the store I work at is the highest, a Pro Plus store. We carry much more equipment, have more knowledgeable employees, and more technology to help us fit you. The other store near where I live is the lowest tier. They have half the equipment we have, less technology, and 1 employee who knows anything about golf. It all just depends. As far as TA goes, I have been very impressed by the brand. They tend to go on sale early and often, so unless you need it the second it comes out you shouldn’t pay full price. They perform neck and neck with the other brands we carry in our location (Callaway, Cobra, TaylorMade, Titleist, and Ping). As always, every club does not work for everyone, so trying them out is key. There’s a reason all of these brands continue to be so successful, different clubs work for different players.

Palmer

11 months ago

Sorry to disagree but I have an Atomic. I bought from Dick for $200.00. I previously had a XR and the TA is far superior. I believe Dicks is on to something good here.I know there are a lot of OEM snobs out there but I suggest that you give the TA a chance. I went in with the idea of buying a Rouge or G400. The TA was not longer but was more accurate and I love the feel. I think based on the clubs performance Dicks experiment will only fail because of the mistaken .need for the big name brands. I hope people who really like to play golf will open their minds and judge based on performance not name.

BerkeleyBob

12 months ago

The thing is, I would consider used OEM clubs before considering Tommy Armour. Why? Because there is already so much data available from non-marketing sources, including MGS. I was at a Dick’s Sporting Goods a couple weeks ago, and were I in the market for a driver wanted to try a TA, I would have tested the Ping G400 alongside it, not the G410. Even the Ping G driver was available, not to mention TaylorMade M3/M4s, and I think even M1s. And given those choices, all things being equal—feel, forgiveness and distance, I’d definitely opt for an OEM.

One more thing—I bought them at The Golf Mart, part of Worldwide Golf Shops in the SF Bay Area. They’ve got the largest selection of new/used clubs, bags, shoes, etc. I’ve ever seen, with five testing bays and dedicated fitting stalls for Callaway and Honma. Bought most of my clubs and equipment from them, Dick’s got nothing on them.

dcorun

1 year ago

I took my F6 3 wood to Dick’s to compare it against the Atomic after reading the MGS article. The Dick’s I go to in Montgomery, AL has a Trackman. The Atomic launched higher with little effort and was 12 – 15 yards longer. I believe the low COG, titanium cup face and Project X Even Flow Max Carry shaft make the Atomic a very nice club. At $149 right now, they are a steal. I hope they come out with a new version of the 845’s. They were one of the best set of irons I’ve ever played.

Vic

1 year ago

Probably won’t work at least not with Dick’s biz model in mind. Closest store to me is 10 mi. away and if I’m in the area and need a grip put on I’ll call ahead to see if the one only one, person in the store who knows anything about Golf is working that day otherwise I don’t stop anymore. And Golf Galaxy is not my cup of tea either too much like going to a car dealership. Was told by Dick’s employees they had to be cross trained in 3 departments including Golf and I have to have someone paged as the Golf dept. is usually as barren as the hunting dept. now. Don’t know who sets inventory for Golf clubs but the majority of clubs are limited to stiff shafts with a few regulars thrown in that’s it here. In it’s effort to corner a bigger chunk of the market and adding TA while laying off all the pro’s makes little sense except on the expense line. This appears to me to be the classic corporate model of big business trying to be the be all for all golfers and don’t think that will work. Can’t see parking my Tour Edge woods for any TA from them.

Olbuzz

1 year ago

I happened on this site just now after being offered a set of TA,s for sale. I’d heard the name alot but told him that was the signature not the brand. Thought I’d research and got a surprise. I started with some old Byron Nelson McGregor’s years ago. They were used but were the top dog once. Drifted through sets over years and bought new clubs, the Big Bertha started the driver war if I remember correctly. I settled on Taylormade for awhile up through the Burner’s, I still have a beat up 3 wood that was hard to master but its a monster if you can connect that small head surface.

I realized after a few rentals that the Burner Driver , the most expensive at the time wasn’t quite up to the rentals. Then during some time in SanDiego, Im from Ohio… I went in a huge golf store to replace a lost Taylormade. Possibly it wasn’t areawide but they had no Taylormade clubs at all. The pro (maybe) said that Adams dominated the market out west and the TM,s were more eastern US. True or not that started to open my eyes a little.

I’ve had some Adams irons that have been great and Im not afraid to look at anything as long as the spec,s are close. Im due for a new driver but the prices make me to ill to try them. The last new driver I bought I went to Dicks late in the process. I vowed to test every thing I had any interest in and did. I had hit several models at the course but wound up in Dicks Beavercreek Ohio.

The sakes guy may have been a pro, 3 yrs ago I think, busier than heck he showed me the bay and the operation of the gear. I hit everything they had for 90 mins maybe. After trying every model twice I stood there with a Ping and a weird looking Brightly colored Cobra that seemed so good I couldn’t believe it. Im telling myself, look dummy get the Ping and go. The head cover on the off brand looked like a paint booth…Im still hitting that bright blue Cobra and love it. Its wore out. Cobra’s no slouch but they weren’t, held up there with the big 3

I guess the point is dont fall for the marketing unless its a truly inferior product. Jump on the feel. Its kind of like Bose equipment. Sound quality through advertising… don’t fall for it. I don’t know if the hitting bay is still accessible at the local Dicks. But at Christmas I did notice there was no attendant in the golf section and I had to retrieve one myself.

In response to the never trust a hitting bay to try clubs… If you can use a bay there’s no disadvantage in trying a club out, all options are tested in the same conditions. I have a large yard and I’ve hit thousands of balls after dark. Ive hit enough to know how well and where I hit them even in the dark. Not telling anyone to test clubs in the dark but if your buying a $500 golf club you prob have a feel for hitting and judging already. Actually I don’t put much faith in a finally tuned trackman. Being fitted for clubs if you can afford it is a great thing to. Even if you choose them on bogus simulator

Im gonna check out the TA atomic in the next few weeks. An hour ago I wouldn’t have given it a 2nd look… May check back on the used TA,s for sale to

Berniez40

1 year ago

Well for what it’s worth, I would hate to see this become a Zombie Thread. I have much respect for the old Tommy Armour name, as well as the designer of the original 845’s. I believe his name was John Hoeflich. He was brought out of retirement over a decade ago to help component club maker cum manufacturer, Nickent Golf, make a go of it.
He still had a lot of great ideas, but sadly, Nickent bet the farm on a $500.00 Driver right at the beginning of The Great Recession of 2008. It was a great design that proved more popular with clubb fitters than players. Great design—-bad timing, Hoeflich sure knew how to design a golf club.
I’d like to see Dick’s make a real go of this. Not only out of nostalgia for The Tommy Armour name, but also out of respect for a company that is willing to change game plans.
This may very well be a succesful business plan for them. It least it allows them to call the shots. When they were being led around the nose by TaylorMade and the two driver models a year club, they almost bought the farm and went the way of Sport’s Authority.
Instead, they bought Golfsmith, and leveraged that as a way to expand their Golf Specialty concepts, even though it involved the closure of many a Golfsmith, and several Golf Galaxy stores, they had a good plan.
Sadly, they had to fire their golf pros at all the Dick’s Stores. Most of them were as much victims of TaylorMade’s two driver a year business plan as the chain itself. But the Golf Galaxy Pros were preserved, and most of those guys are closer to real pros than the majority of those that worked at Dick’s.
Here’s the deal. If they have a good house brand that they can cut prices on as the season moves along, and still make a decent profit margin on, they are no longer as beholden to the TaylorMades and Callaways of this world as they used to be ….and trust me, I had lot’s of friends at Edwin Watts who lost their jobs when it became obvious that TaylorMade’s Business plan was closer to that of Bernie Madoff than it was to an actual profit and benefits for all type of business plan.
I hope for the sake of golf itself they succeed. I don’t ever want to see the days of the big boys making semi-annual product introductions of $500 drivers a reality again…..It’s simply not healthy for anyone in the long run.

xjohnx

1 year ago

To those complaining the price is too high. Keep an eye out as the season goes on. The obvious value in private label brands is higher margin, most of you know that. The other side that most people forget is the ability to control the price with no restrictions to show additional value. Though the price is $399 today, this allows Dick’s to not only have room to likely still make money at $299, but also allows them to have full control over pricing in real time and show $100 off which is enough to get an average consumer excited compared to brands at full MSRP. Most of today’s everyday consumer is trained to buy on savings and not just price. They know what they’re doing. Trust me.

Tre

Scoot24

1 year ago

For non-gun owners this would seem logical but when a company goes political and makes decisions to step on the toes of citizens, they tend to take their business elsewhere. Agree with it or not, Dicks is losing significant business because hunters also; golf, play baseball, basketball, fish, etc., and these people now refuse to buy from them.

Brandon

10 months ago

I work at a Dick’s store, I am a Golf Club Tech. I cannot speak for every store, but we have a hitting bay with a simulator and multiple certified fitters who work here. The golf section is always covers with someone knowledgeable (unless someone calls in, it’s unavoidable) and on top of that, our sales are up across the board. No fall-off from guns.

DawgDaddy

1 year ago

Good article and info, I really hope TA makes a comeback, the more choices available the better all segments of golfers are served. Dicks is not a place I have ever purchased a golf club but I know many people who have bought from them.

Berniez40

Jim

1 year ago

Chris – nice article, but to me and many of my fellow golfers out here, the question is how does it stack up to what I’m currently playing? I’m gaming a Callaway XR – will this be an upgrade or about the same in terms of performance? Until I have a sense of that, MGS is seeming a little like someone’s marketing dept. If you all could provide us average guys hitting drivers 200-225 yds with that info, that would be more useful than talking about brazing IMO.

Jim – The only way to know for sure what’s best for you is to try the clubs head-to-head. Another great option is to give TrueGolfFit a run and see what it suggests. Far too many people form opinions of OEMs and certain brands without considering valuable information. In this case, my guess would be most had no idea the Atomic line was developed and produced in conjunction with Performax, who also works with Tour Edge and a variety of Japanese brands.

Tom

1 year ago

Why would I ever pay $399 for a TA driver when I can purchase something like the recently discounted Ping G400 driver for $300 or a Cobra F8 for $250? In addition, those will have a modest amount of resale value. I’m guessing that TA product will be close to worthless the minute you walk it out the door at Dicks.

Tony

1 year ago

The brand likely won’t make an impact at all. Not because it doesn’t perform, it may be quite good for the price. It will never be viewed as an acceptable brand by any half interested golfer because it’s a Dicks exclusive. Dicks is the worst retailer of golf equipment period. I have been to MANY Dicks sporting goods across the country for apparel and other sporting goods, but always visit the golf section hoping for a better experience, but it has been the same at all of them for many years. The selection is small, and the staff IF you can even find one, are not knowledgeable, and generally too busy with stocking or assisting apparel or other departments to focus on the golf customers, and their fitting area/hitting bay is many times closed, or I am perceived as an inconvenience if I ask to try to hit something. The only people buying golf equipment at Dicks are stark uneducated new golfers that live under a rock and havent asked anyone where the best place to look for golf equipment might be, or the person that knows exactly what they want already, and have a 20% off Dicks coupon that gets them a better deal than elsewhere… and that’s IF the golf brand is NOT already excluded from the coupon.

Vince L

1 year ago

Recall that it wasn’t that many years ago that Dick’s discontinued having “golf shop” type professionals in the stores in an effort to save money. If I remember correctly they were saving upwards of 40K per store by not having this level of staffing. Not to insult anyone but if you’re buying clubs at Dick’s you’re not a “golfer”, your just someone who plays some golf.

Steve S

1 year ago

They got rid of their “professional” staff because they didn’t add much value. It’s not like most of them were top tier teaching professionals or fitters. Also, in my experience, they tended to ignore the average hacker’s needs.

I’ve been to 3 local Dick’s. The staff is made up of enthusiastic golfers who are happy to help you and seem to know their limitations.

With the size of any large chain it always comes down to individual store management’s commitment to customer service.

Ryan

1 year ago

I get all the way to the end to see this guy has 7 daughters and I’m supposed to believe any of these thoughts are rational? In all seriousness I would hit a Tommy Armour club but my PGA card buddy will get all melancholy and tell me how they shafted all their golf pros. The truth is they probably shouldn’t have done that and, that being said, living in a golf heavy town I never see their equipment in the field.

Gerald Teigrob

1 year ago

Nevada Bobs here in Canada also sells Tommy Armour. Just because they lean in that direction doesn’t make me lean that way, I will continue to stick with OEM equipment from Cobra Golf instead of Tommy Armour. I will always lean towards Golf Town…and not only that…we get to purchase demo irons and iron sets there year round! I had a Tommy Armor pitching wedge but after a while I decided to leave it at our pro shop.

Nick

1 year ago

I’m a recent college graduate who has (and will continue to work for a short time longer) worked for Dick’s for the past year in the golf department. We do go through some training tutorials but for the avg individual to digest all the information is a lot to ask for those who are not golf nuts. I will say, having had the time to mess around in the hitting bays, the TA1 irons and TA1 woods were phenomenal for the cost. I often would tell people to give them a try when hitting clubs like M3, M4, Epic, Rogue, G400, etc. many of whom would curl up their nose and say no thank you. Those that would give it a try came away impressed and amazed. Now, I will say to them, as much of a mental game as golf is, if you feel like your going to be playing with inferior equipment because of the brand written on the clubs as your peers who may be playing one of the big five, then steer clear. Otherwise, TA makes great equipment and are deserving of more attention. The dispersion I personally get from last years TA1 driver is nuts. It’s so tight and not the longest we have in stock but only off by 5 yards. I’ll take accuracy over distance any day. And as someone incorrectly mentioned earlier, we as Dick’s and Golf Galaxy employees get ABSOULUTELY NO COMMISSION from ANY of the clubs we sell. If anything its a pat on the back from management with a “Hey, good sell.” Doesn’t matter what I sell, only matters that customers leave with a smile on their face. Tommy Armour is no slouch, and to be honest I don’t give a damn about my employer, I just want my paycheck and to help the people who come to me asking for to help find the products that fit their game and budget.

Matt

1 year ago

These are good points. The days of spifs and commissions at major retailers are pretty much behind us. However the commission game still lurks on within the world of fitters and club pros. It is good to hear that Dick’s has taken initiative to create a competitive set of value clubs and if they stick with it, and the clubs get decent results, the TA brand can actually grow. To my eye, there has been much consolidation in golf club makers with the big 5-6 brands failing to produce affordable new equipment. Some cheap brands have come and gone but no telling what results or if they are even durable enough to last a couple seasons. TA looks like they can occupy this space well. If you are in the market the alternative is going to a major brand, where used is all you can afford. I only buy used myself.

Mike Reed

1 year ago

Does Dick’s also have/had Walter Hagen clubs, accessories, and apparel? The one time I looked at the Hagen clubs, they were cheap, cast clubs from China with stiff steel shafts. I was not very impressed.

What this country needs is a club company like Ben Ross in the UK, They do not sponsor tour pros and have good quality clubs that they sell through the local golf clubs. The reviews I have seen and the prices discussed make them 20-30% less expensive than the major brands with the same quality.

Perhaps the Tommy Armour brand could be an answer to the problem of good clubs for less money. They only problem I see is getting people to buy an “off brand” which may have little resale or trade-in value (look at Adams clubs for an example).

Also, I think they may actually sell more in a Golf Galaxy where they could be compared to the major names and be determined to be as good or better than the big names.

Is Tommy Armour III going to do any advertising for this brand? That would be a hoot to see. If done with humor he might actually be able to move some product.

Caroline

1 year ago

I wonder how much the Armour clubs would sell for if Dick’s (and anyone else) could sell the major OEMs at any price they wanted instead of the same price in every golf shop. Ever wonder why that Talylormade driver is the same price in every golf and sporting goods shop or why no one has a sale on ProV’s at say $37.99 instead of the same price everywhere?????

HDTVMAN

1 year ago

Regarding The Atomic Driver, prices are too high at $399. The new Mizuno and Ping G400MAX are also $399…which one you going to buy? Regarding Dick’s & Golf Galaxy, owned by Dick’s, training at both is virtually non-existent, but at least at GG there are fitters who have had a little training by the reps and brands themselves. Remember, they are paid $9-$10/hour (McDonald’s burger flippers make a lot more!) and get a small commission on specific brands…not everything, so many will push those products.

Ryan

Not for nothing, but the Atomic also has carbon crown construction and HZDRUS Smoke 60/Yellow 75 available at no upcharge. That said, the $100 less for the D7 is significant.

Charles Market

1 year ago

Where I live Dicks is the only place in town other then county clubs for golf equipment and club services. They got rid of their pro club fitter and club specialist, I guess to cut cost and in place supposedly trained the sales staff to club fit, and provide other golf related services! Yet when you vist Dicks very seldom is there anyone in this department!

Lenny

Ggm

1 year ago

I think that if they hold out long enough it can work- my son (17) was hitting the TA1 driver against Epic Flash, M5/M6, g410 and TS3- he swings A lot faster than i do and he wanted to buy the TA-1 based off of his demos- I scoffed and said it’s a piece of junk, but he is like my results were better and it sounded great, why is it junk? I think the Millennials and younger generations may not be so brainwashed into mass marketed brands. we shall see.

Steve

Brian

1 year ago

A limited number of TA products are listed on the Golfworks Canada Web site.

Thanks.

Lar

1 year ago

Great article. I fondly remember the Silver Scots and I”m rooting for the Tommy Armour revival. That said, i’m a bit torn about Dick’s. They canned their golf staff (good point, WAAZZUPPPP) and they’re not a goto for golf goods. But I respect some of their more recent business decisions, like pulling assault rifles and high capacity magazines. At the end of the day, more competition is a good thing for the market. The brazing process is legit – I still game an XCG7 beta 3 wood by Exotics.

Let’s start with the pivotal content. Name another hit by “A-ha.” I’ll hang up and listen. 🙂

Now to the equipment…

Where Dick’s has been and how people feel about that are entirely valid topics for discussion. But so too is where it’s headed, particularly in the golf space.

No doubt, there’s some bad aftertaste for some given previous decisions, but insofar as Tommy Armour and the current Atomic line are concerned, I think there’s sufficient reason for optimism.

I’d challenge the idea that Dick’s isn’t a “go to” for golf equipment. They have a freakish sales volume, so plenty of people buy golf equipment there, but in the minds of those more likely to read and engage on sites like MyGolfSpy, Dick’s isn’t necessarily held in the same regard as other retailers,

There’s likely a variety of reasons for this, one being that Dick’s isn’t a specialty store. Other’s could have to do with some of the big box/volume structures.

That said, where Dick’s/Tommy Armour is headed very well could (and I’m banking on “will”) change a lot of people’s perceptions.

Lar

1 year ago

As a former West Palm Beach resident, I was spoiled by my local PGA Superstore. I swear, I heard angels ever time I walked the isles. But in Virginia, I have to drive 2 hours to the closest golf store, and it’s a Golf Galaxy at that. Meh.
But its 15 minutes to Dick’s. So I now owe it to myself to go there and swing some Atomics. And with Project X HZDRUS Smoke Black 60 at no upcharge? MAKE ME A BELIEVER.

Soft Cell, Tainted Love

Tony

1 year ago

I think you hit on a few key points… Dicks may have a large volume of sales. I suspect though, for clubs, its uneducated golf consumers or very new players. That’s the part or perception Dicks needs to change as a brand.

In order to change that, Dicks does need to become more of a specialty equipment store. I dont think consumers mind that they are a big box or retail store, but golf equipment in particular is and continues to be incredibly specialized equipment. Fitting is becoming more prevalent and commonplace. Dicks needs to invest more in knowledgeable staff and build experts to staff their specialized departments to break that perception. They wont do that by firing all their knowledgeable professionals, and not staffing up those departments. It’s not impossible, but will have a long road ahead to change the way view their commitment to their golf equipment section, sales, and service.

Count Tyrone Rugan

1 year ago

In the video, I recognize the logo on that uniform. Performax, they’ve been making golf club for a while now. They made head for Callaway and Cobra. I believe they’ve made clubs for Nike too.

In the realm of golf club manufacturers they’re a secondary tier manufacturer compared to AIM or FuSheng in China.

Overall, for the cost they make a decent club head for the price. As long as QC and engineering is able to monitor them closely.

ChipNRun

1 year ago

Excellent insights on Dick’s and its disruptive approach to rebuilding Tommy Armour brand. Others have let me hit the old 845s on occasion, and it is on my top five list of “favorite irons I have never owned.”
One note: Dick’s may be a big box retailer, but Golf Galaxy is not. GG is a specialty golf retailer with generally skilled staff for fitting and clubsmithing. Some bloggers tend to miscast GG as big-box, when in fact it it specialty.

Emery

1 year ago

I purchase from Dick’s for lower prices on balls, gloves and clothing…..still not thinking of purchasing clubs but getting tempted to test some Tommy Armour stuff in the future. Dick’s here have hitting bays and Trackman so customization is available but probably limited as they have released many of their golfing staff, sometimes it is difficult to find an employee to help for anything. They offer rewards points and some good discounts so you do not have to ever pay retail. I have no problem with getting the best for less as I play Ft. Worth 15’s that I demo’d thru the mail but fitted for G400’s which I had a warranty issue that was taken care of by Edwin Watts in a 5 Star way!

Steve S

1 year ago

I’ve hit the last two versions of TA drivers and for my swing speed(90-92mph) I found them to be equal to the “name brand” drivers. Did not like their previous fairways or hybrids. I’ll be interested to see how the new clubs stack up.

Gary

1 year ago

Nothing in the article about stock shafts or upgrade shafts. Since the head is more expensive but the price is kept low, can one assume that the stock shaft will be 2nd line shaft or even a “made for” shaft that is really a piece of garbage?

Bob

Cliff

1 year ago

I disagree! When I go to Edwin Watts they treat me like a nobody if I dont tell them I want to buy a driver for $600 or a new set of irons for $1200. They literally don’t want to help you. But, the people at Dick’s have no problem letting test out all of the drivers they have in stock. If you tell them your interested in purchasing a new driver or irons they will help you out no problem. Plus with their trade in program you can buy newer clubs at a dicounted rate. The people who work at Dick’s don’t make me fill like an idiot. I’ve tried to work with Edwin Watts, because i’m not a scratch golfer I fill like quiting the game when I leave the store. Dick’s treats me like a normal person. To say a walmart greater could give you better advise is really a poor analogy.

Bob

1 year ago

You’re entitled to your opinion Chris, but as someone with inside information, my comment is very accurate.

Tony

1 year ago

I kind of agree with Bob on this one. I can rarely even find a staff member in the golf section to help alone have any decent knowledge. They may not be as intimidating because they probaly only have slightly more knowledge than some of their customers. Having the same knowledge as a Walmart greeter is a little harsh though.. lol, and Edwin Watts is just as bad for dismissing the beginner golfers that would benefit from more assistance and knowledge they could provide.

Waazzupppp

1 year ago

I love the story of the underdog coming back like this, but honestly, it’s not going to happen. Even reading through the article (which is extremely well done!) I still go back to the fact that NOBODY in their right mind should spend $400.00 on a driver or $250 on a FW without hitting live balls with it. Nobody!

When you have offerings like the Tour Edge EXS for $299, Callaway Rogue for $350 or the TaylorMade M3/M4 going at the same $350 – why would someone opt to get fitted by a place that canned their entire golf staff?

$400 is hardly a budget club and even if it performed 5-10 yards better, are you really going to bag a “store brand” over investing in a fully custom fit driver with more than an R or S flex choice and one shaft option?

Sorry, hard pass here, but when they hit the clearance rack in a few months at $250, it may be a good option for some. Until then, it’s just too much cash for a sub-par shopping experience.

Steve S

1 year ago

Not sure about your local Dick’s but all of them here have hitting bays and monitors. You can hit everything and my local store has virtually every shaft for all the drivers except some of the higher end custom ones.

Waazzupppp

1 year ago

I’m not sure I’d ever buy a club only hitting it in a bay. Doing that, you have no idea how the launch monitor is setup. I mean, did they program it to 10k feet of altitude to get 30 extra yards on the shots or had it not been calibrated in years? I like being a bit more old-school and seeing the ball flight (even off a mat) and seeing how the numbers and look of the shot match up.

That’s just me though.

Steve S

1 year ago

Waazzupppp, you make a good point but it’s easy to get around. Take your club and ball and hit them first. If you know how they perform you’ll know about the set up AND even if the numbers are jacked you’ll have an “apples to apples” comparison with a new club.

Regis

1 year ago

Back in the 70’s when golf was in it’s largest growth spurt the cast game improvement club had it’s origin. The Ping Eye was the innovator but they were only available in pro shops and they had to be fitted. They also had about a two month turnaround time. Enter the Spalding Executive a cast iron available off the rack at all sporting goods stores. A boatload of new golfers bought the Spalding Executives as their first set and gamed them for many years.